I gotta tell ya, it wasn't easy discovering my mom's blueberry muffins were actually Jordan Marsh's, the now defunct, but once hugely popular department store. I remember shopping at Jordan Marsh with my mom when I was a kid; it was the place where we bought shoes and handbags and kitchen appliances, but not blueberry muffins. That's because they didn't sell them in Rhode Island. For the beloved Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin -- a moist, cakey, berry-studded delight with an irresistible crunchy sugar topping -- you had to go to Massachusetts.

The iconic Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin was created by baker John Pupek in 1961. Pupek took pride in his muffins, folding in the blueberries by hand and overseeing the baking of each batch. Apparently his muffins were so delicious that they transformed disagreeable children into angels. After Jordan Marsh closed in 1990, Pupek opened his own bake shop where he sold the cherished Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins as well as other sweets made famous by the store. Much to the dismay of his loyal customers, Pupek closed shop in 2004. Physically worn out, the baker needed a rest. Upon his retirement, Pupek swore to never sell the Jordan Marsh muffin name. He told the Boston Globe, ''if people said they had a Jordan Marsh muffin and it was horrible, it would kill me."

Fortunately the treasured Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin recipe is available online and in some cookbooks, such as Nick Malgieri's How to Bake. Since we're in prime blueberry season, now is the perfect time to make a batch (or two) of these blueberry muffins. Just don't be surprised if after making them, you suddenly have a urge to toss your old blueberry muffin recipe, or to go shopping for a new pair of shoes.

Place rack in center of oven and preheat to 375 degrees F. Line a 12-mold regular size muffin pan with paper muffins cups.

Using a hand mixer, cream butter, sugar, and salt until soft. Add eggs, and mix until light and fluffy. Mix the flour and baking powder together, and stir into the batter, alternating with the milk. Stir in the vanilla. Mix until just incorporated.

This is my mom's tip, and it works beautifully: In a small bowl, sprinkle blueberries with 1 teaspoon each sugar and cinnamon. Gently toss until well coated. Fold into the batter. Spoon batter into the 12 muffin cups.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the tops are light gold and a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing each muffin and placing on a wire rack to cool.

It is nice thought that all your family recipes have been handed down for generations but the reality is often different in my experience - but it sounds like these jordan marsh muffins have truly become part of your family history - and hope you will be enjoying them for some time to come!

I'm planning on buying a huge batch of blueberries at the farmers market this week so I'll have to try your Mom's recipe (since out here on the west coast I'm clueless about Jordan Marsh so your mom gets top billing with me!)

This is so funny - I just made Jordan Marsh muffins last weekend! My mom and I had been talking about them and she gave me the recipe she cut out of the Providence Journal ages ago. She used to take me to JM when I was little to get these muffins! They're the best!!!

Your muffin picture was so perfect and the narration was even more tempting...I had to make it and as i am typing this..we are having the very tasty, moist and dangerously addictive muffins we 've ever tasted.

I made these yesterday. They were delicious. But I must have gotten some gigantoid blueberries or something, because my batter overfilled the cups and then spilled over during baking, which created giant muffin tops. Since muffin tops are my abosolute favorite part of a muffin, this worked out pretty darn well for me :D

Usually, when I phone my mother she has no clue where the recipe came from so it's super easy to give credit to her. Your mom might be a bit more organized. Regardless, these make my mouth water! I'm off the muffins at present, however. Gotta fit into a wedding gown!

The first was for the blueberry muffins and pancakes my grandfather used to make. I have his recipes, but he always shoots from the hip in the kitchen, so mine are never the same.

The second was for shopping with my grandmother at the department store that was Levy's, then Maas Brothers, then Jordan Marsh in Savannah that was torn down when Jordan Marsh closed. I loved the fluorescent lighting there and all the little soaps in the bath department.

I'm so glad I found this! I have such fond memories of going to Jordan Marsh with my mom when I was a kid. I grew up in Boston and live in the Midwest now, so this evoked sweet memories for me. Now I've got to bake some muffins before fresh blueberries are all gone! Thanks.

Hello, these sound interesting and i will give these american treats a go, however i have to point out you should write mould not mold. Don't want people thinking of the fungus when shaping the muffins, also centre not er. Thanks :)

I, too, remember getting muffins at Jordan Marsh department store in downtown Boston. They had texture to them, like a good muffin should. Unfortunately, many of the muffins today are like eating a cake or cupcake. Not a bad thing certainly, but muffins should have a certain texture to them and not so sweet that they could be mistaken for cake. JM muffins were wonderful. ec

There is an important step missing to make them the authentic Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins as sold at the store. I'm over 60 years old and grew up in Boston enjoying these wonderful muffins. I have posted the recipe with the technique of crushing some of the blueberries to give the muffins their famous purplish hue. Enjoy.... http://www.fransfavs.com/2011/07/1059/